After pregnancy, the journey of Mamas does not end there. Motherhood is deemed to be as beautiful yet challenging just like how they went through the pregnancy stages. This time they have bigger decisions to make as their babies start to develop and grow older.
One of the main things Mamas need to decide on is the infant feeding pattern for their newborns. These patterns include “direct breastfeeding, pumping and bottle feeding, formula feeding, solid food feeding, and any combination” (Karmaus, Soto-Ramirez, & Zhang, 2017). Usually, it is highly recommended for Mamas to take the breastfeeding or nursing route. This kind of pattern is definitely not the easiest among all other choices, but it is believed to be the better choice because of the nutrients it provides to your little one. This read will be focusing on the maternal aspect, where the effects of breastfeeding on mental health or emotional well-being will be discussed.
Effects of Breastfeeding To Mental and Emotional Health
The effects of breastfeeding to one’s mental health can go both ways – positive or negative. There are a lot of factors that may contribute to the outcome or the effect of breastfeeding to Mamas but it is really normal to experience such due to the overwhelming feeling of becoming a new parent. In the case of Mamas who chose to do breastfeeding among the other feeding choices, you may feel a different set of emotions because of the challenge it brings when nursing your baby.
The choice of breastfeeding can affect your overall well-being in both mental and emotional aspects. According to a study last 2020 about the effects of breastfeeding on mental health, there are factors identified that may highly affect Mamas such as, but not limited to:
- the intended choice to feed their babies
- experiencing struggle to supply breastmilk
- if there is a medical condition that makes breastfeeding difficult or not the recommended option
- the amount of support from your surroundings (at home or at work)
- the pressure Mamas get from the “breast is best” movement
With all of these, the mind responds to the factors in both an advantageous and disadvantageous ways for Mamas (Fletcher, 2022).
To begin with, there are notable positive effects of breastfeeding to Mamas since it will provide Mamas a boost in their parenting skills. The breastfeeding or nursing option also allows Mamas to bond with their little one more. All these are possible if you decide to exclusively breastfeed your baby for at least the first six months or until a year, have enough breastmilk supply, and have supportive people around you amidst the struggles of breastfeeding.
To add to that, breastfeeding allows the release of a chemical called ‘oxytocin’ that causes Mamas to feel less stressed and be calmer. This chemical is also responsible for boosting you and your baby’s bonding moments and heightening the feeling of affection with each other (Fletcher, 2022). Also, a recent study showed that breastfeeding may help reduce the risk of postpartum depression, but this depends on the case of new mothers as some may struggle with breastfeeding (England, 2022).
On the flip side, the negative effects of breastfeeding to one’s mental health to begin with is the pressure Mamas feel to also choose breastfeeding as their choice of feeding their babies.
Although it was mentioned in the previous paragraph that breastfeeding reduces the risk of postpartum depression, it should also be noted that for other Mamas, that is not the case given that they are struggling to do nursing. These are Mamas that often experience pain and discomfort when breastfeeding. New mothers feel pressured, stressed, and guilty when they keep in mind the phrase ‘breast is best’ but they cannot provide. Since there are women who have different issues like milk supply issues, they intend to do formula feeding instead. In a survey made by Priory of more than 1,000 Mamas, it revealed that breastfeeding problems cause depression when they are unsuccessful or it turns to be painful. Other effects of it lead to postnatal low mood and anxiety (Smith, 2022).
Moving Forward
Breastfeeding is really challenging for new mothers. Even though the phrase goes “breast is best,” if you are really struggling and cannot provide this kind of feeding to your little one, you must remember that these will not make you a bad parent. Your mental health is your main priority and always remember that there are a lot of options to choose from that can still make your babies healthy.
It is advised to seek professional support from your doctors or midwife in the first few weeks as a new Mama, mostly when you feel that you are struggling with this type of baby feeding. These experts can also help Mamas as well as their partners some knowledge to help in managing the negative effects towards the physical, mental, emotional, and societal challenges of breastfeeding (Smith, 2022). The love between you and your baby is not defined by the type of feeding you provide your little one. Take care of yourself Mamas and enjoy motherhood!
References
England, A. (2022). Mothers who breastfeed have lower risk of postpartum depression, research shows. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/women-who-breastfeed-have-a-lower-risk-of-postpartum-depression-5322852
Fletcher, J. (2022). Can breastfeeding affect your mental health?. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/health/can-breastfeeding-affect-your-mental-health
Karmaus, W., Soto-Ramírez, N. & Zhang, H. Infant feeding pattern in the first six months of age in USA: a follow-up study. Int Breastfeed J 12, 48 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-017-0139-4
Smith, L. (2022). How the pressure to breastfeed can impact mental health. Patient. https://patient.info/news-and-features/how-to-cope-with-the-mental-stress-of-breastfeeding
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